SC allows Common Entrance Test for Medical Courses

4/18/2016

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday paved the way for implementation of National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) for medical courses across the country.

The top court set aside its 2013 order by which the common entrance test for admissions to MBBS, BDS and PG courses in all medical colleges was quashed.

Hearing a review petition on NEET, the top court said it will hear the case afresh on validity of the common entrance test. "Till the matter is decided NEET can be implemented," the top court said.

The Supreme Court had, in June 2013, had ruled that the Medical Council of India (MCI)'s notification for holding common entrance tests for MBBS, BDS and post-graduate medical courses as invalid. A three-judge bench by a 2:1 verdict held that the notification was against the Constitution.

The court had ruled that the MCI did not have the jurisdiction to enforce common entrance test (CET) on private medical colleges and that the move could also violate constitutional guarantee to minority communities to establish and manage their own educational institutions.

MCI had opposed the verdict and had moved the court for a review.

Apart from students being forced to cough up thousands towards the fee for appearing in multiple exams and travel expenses, many students are robbed of the opportunity to stake admission claim to different colleges, an MCI official said. Over 90 medical entrance tests are held across India.